Geography FieldworkCape Schnack, Gunnamatta and St Andrews

Map of Mornington peninsula and where the three places we went are. Source Wikipedia.

Coastal landforms

Cape schanck

A stack is a Erosional landform, caused by erosion form destructive waves and weathering. It used to part of the cliff millions of years ago, however waves created a cave which expanded into an ach and finally collapsed into the stack. The stack will gradually get smaller as more. waves crash onto the stack. Source 1.11

A cliff is like a hill by the coast connected to the headland. It is where vegetation grows, and where coastal landforms are formed. It comes in all different sizes depending on how old the cliff is. Over time it will get closer as more waves crash onto them. The cliffs in picture 1.12 is made of basalt. Source 1.12

Vegetaion at Cape schanck is very diverse as it is generally protected and well managed. It consists on spinifex, spiky spinifex, marram grass and hakea. Source 1.13

Gunnamatta beach

A beach is a form by deposition form contructive waves. During warmer weather waves have stronger swash than backwash therefore bringing in more than taking away. The sand is brought in by the waves. Source 1.21

Primary sand dunes is the first level of sand dunes. It is right next two the beach berm and it is the most likely llevel of sand dunes to get trampled by human. Source 1.22

Secondary sand dunes are the middle level of sand dunes. It has more of a variety of vegetation and some is home to some small insects and reptiles. Source 1.23

Tertiary dunes are the final level of dunes. It is usually where the car park is located. It has even more animals living there such as snakes and lizards and has the most vegetation. Source 1.24

Vegetation at Gunnamatta is located in the sand dunes. Some types of vegetation are ti-tree, marram grass, spinifex, spiky spinifex, hakea, pigface, salt Bush and New Zealand spinach. Source 1.25

St. Andrews

The beach at standrews is a lot less welcoming than Gunnamatta mostly because of the rocks in the sand. However it was made by constructive wave bringing the sand in and vegetation stabilising the sand. Source 1.31

Vegetation at St. Andrews very similar to Gunnamatta. They are ti-tree, spinifex, spiky spinifex, marram grass, hakea, pigface, salt bush and New Zealand spinach. These plants are used to keep the sand in the dunes stable and together. Source 1.32

Rock pools a group of rocks that a scattered in the sand. It is caused by deposition over a period of time. Source 1.33

Coastal processes

Cape schanck

The rocks on the shore are smooth because they went through a process call attrition. It is when the rocks in the waves rub together to smooth each other out like sand paper. After thousands of years of smoothing they become a lot smaller and rounder. Source 2.11

Hydraulic action is a form of erosion. It is when the waves crashes onto a rock, cliff or headland. The air that the waves bring with it might get trapped in the cracks of the rock. When the wave breaks the air becom compressed and weakens the rock. This is shown in source 2.12. Source 2.12

Abrasion is another form of erosion. It is when all the rocks and sand crashes onto a cliff with the wave, slowly breaking of the cliff face. In source that is where the rocks hit. Source 2.13

Gunnamatta Beach

Lonshore drift is the direction that the water moves. Once a wave crashes in, it moves out at a slight angle. Therefore most of the light things get carried by the waves in the direction of the longshore drift. Source 2.21

In source 2.22.you can see that there is a part to the beach that has no waves and is darker. That is a rip. A rip is a very strong water current that pulls someone into the ocean. It is what fisherman use to get into sea. Source 2.22.

Weathering is a process that happens when harsh wind and bad weather conditions affect something. In source 2.23 you can see that that bit has been through weathering as it has no vegetation. Source 2.23

St. Andrews

Long shore drift again, Same as at Gunnamatta beach, already explained in source 2.31

Abrasion is already explained in source 2.13. Here it is clear that theses rocks has been damaged by other rocks crashing onto it. Source 2.32

A occurs in almost any beach. So there are also rips in St. Andrews. The properties of a rip is explained in source 2.22. In source 2.33 it shown where the rip is. Source 2.33

Human impacts

Cape schanck

As you can see there it a little pathway withiout vegetation. This highly likely that someone has trampled over that part and killed the vegetation. This is also an unnecessary pathway. Source 3.11

Gunnamatta

There is a carp ark located in the tertiary dune as you can see in source 3.21. This definitely disturbs life in the tertiary dune and isn't helpful for the growth of the beach. Source 3.21

Here it is clear that someone has trampled over the vegetation as there are none there. 3.22

St andrews

In source 3.31 you can clearly see that there are houses built on the tertiary dunes. The like the car park disturbs like and prevents growth. Source 3.31

Here you can see that there is a random pathway with any vegetation. This is very likely that someone has trample over it. Source 3.32

Coastal management

Flora and Fauna

At St. Andrews beach there are signs explaining the wildlife to us so we don't accidentally kill them by damaging their home. Source 4.11

At Cape schanck there is a clear walkway with barriers to stop people of trampling over the environment. Source 4.12

Provide educational information

In Cape schanck there is a sign tells explains the life there. Source 4.21

In St. Andrews there is a sign that explains the shorebirds and explain why this beach so important to it. Source 4.22

Restrict human movement

In Gunnamatta there is a sign that shows hazards and tells you what you cannot bring or do there. Source 4.31

At Gunnamatta there is another sign that restricts the bringing of dogs. Source 4.32

Regenerate the environment

At Cape schanck there is a sign that says revegetation here, and telling us to stay out of that area. Source 4.41

Another strategy, as shown in Cape schanck is to have a path where it doesn't cross the area of revegetation. Source 4.42